Howard Connell Named Director of Center on Business Strategies for Sustainability

Aug 6, 2013 | Atlanta, GA

Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business’ Center on Business Strategies for Sustainability recently named Howard Connell professor of the practice of sustainable business.

Connell, who now serves as director of the Center, previously was the global sustainability leader at Kimberly-Clark Corporation, where he led B2B sustainability efforts internationally for that $3 billion business unit, including strategy and execution, technical projects with engineers and scientists, and the development and management of multiple partnerships.

At Scheller College, he will teach sustainable business consulting project courses in the undergraduate and MBA programs as well as helping lead efforts involving industry outreach, partnership building, fundraising, and the development of educational initiatives and career opportunities.

Scheller College was able to create the Center on Business Strategies for Sustainability in early 2013 after winning a $750,000, three-year grant from the Ray C. Anderson Foundation (followed by a $300,000 grant from the Kendeda Fund).

Through its focus on sustainable business practices, which aim to minimize negative impact on the environment and society, the Center plans to:

Generate and disseminate high-impact research in business strategies and innovation for sustainability.

Teach students – tomorrow's engineers, managers, entrepreneurs, and CEOs – how to integrate cutting-edge business principles, science, and technology to further sustainability objectives throughout their careers.

Partner effectively with industry to accelerate the development and adoption of best practices concerning sustainable business.

Professor Beril Toktay is the faculty director of the Center to whom Connell reports. She says that his educational, consulting and corporate experiences “lend themselves perfectly to the multiple hats that will be required in this role.”

“He has a passion for sustainable business and the ability to relate well to undergraduates, MBA students, and executives,” adds Toktay, a professor of operations management and holder of the Brady Family Chair. “The Scheller College community enthusiastically welcomes him.”

A native of Atlanta, Connell is committed to making a difference locally. He serves as vice chair on the board of Sustainable Atlanta, a non-profit organization. He holds a BBA from Belmont University and an MBA from the University of California-Berkeley, where he was affiliated with the Center for Responsible Business.